Western Australia: A Photography Guide To The Top-Rated Vacation Destination In 2023
Earlier this year, news outlet CNN listed Western Australia as one of their top-rated vacation destinations for 2023.
If you’re planning on going on a vacation any time soon – and you choose CNN as your main source of inspiration, because why not? – does this mean you should bite the bullet and travel Down Under?
Well, there are two things you should be asking yourself before you do. Number one, is Western Australia good for photography? And number two, can you sunbathe there?
Western Australia As A Vacation Destination
Let’s start by answering those initial questions. Yes, Western Australia is perfect for photographers. It is full of incredible scenery, beautiful wildlife, and bustling tourist hotspots. And yes, of course, you can sunbathe there.
Whether it’s Perth, Broome, the Margaret River, or the beautiful Mandurah, Western Australia will give you everything you could ask for. Well, everything but a cool, refreshing breeze. But who's asking for that?
As for exactly what you can photograph there: if you’re anything like us, you'll photograph everything. It doesn’t matter where you are in the region, any photograph will translate beautifully on your Facebook or Instagram page, and you won’t have to worry about it looking underwhelming in a small square photo book. This place was practically made for the camera.
If you want a little more evidence, just check out this list of our favorite spots.
The City At Night
The first thing many people think of when they think about Australia is the outback or kangaroos hopping around someone’s backyard.
It’s easy to forget that Australia is home to some of the most beautiful cities in the world, and Perth is certainly one of them. Make sure you have a look around at night. The city lights along with the starry backdrop can give you some stunning images.
The Thrombolites
In Western Australia, there’s a place called Lake Clifton, which is known for its accumulation of thrombolites. What are thrombolites, we hear you ask? Good question.
Thrombolites and stromatolites are ancient structures that are the first ever living organisms to exist on Earth. And they’re still existing because Lake Clifton is full of them. Across the seafront, there's a mass of thrombolites -- some of the last in existence -- so that makes it a pretty great place to capture some unique photographs.
Literally Any Beach
If you learn anything in Western Australia, it’s that there are far more shades of blue than you thought there were. Head to literally any beach and you’ll see what we mean.
Across the coast, there are some stunning spots where all those hours spent learning how to take great beach photographs will finally pay off. These include Preverly Beach, Greenpool Beach, and the incredible Shell Beach in Shark Bay – just don't go swimming at that one.
The Kimberly
If you've got a taste for ancient life, we recommend you travel to the Kimberly, which is a vast and undisturbed landscape that has remained completely untouched for millions of years.
This place has a vast biological richness, with hundreds of beautiful landmarks including the red cliffs, five rivers, and the huge Kimberly waterfall. It might get ridiculously hot during the day, but hey, you should always be made to sweat when capturing photographs as good as this!
The Yellow Spires
If you want to get up close and personal with some Australian wildlife, then you can’t find a better place to do it than Nambung National Park. This is a huge yellow space, famous for the limestone formations that rise from the ground like vast, yellow spires.
Throughout the park, there’s a total of 176 animal species, including kangaroos, dingos, lizards, possums, and 128 breeds of birds. Oh, and there are probably spiders too. It’s Australia, so of course there'll be spiders.
The Trees That Touch Heaven
If, for some reason, there aren’t any spiders in Nambung, then you'll probably find some in the Margaret River region. This place is famous for its gorgeous green forests, with trees that travel up to 196 feet into the sky.
This is a great opportunity if you want pictures to upload to a photo book maker that will make you feel physically humble – diminutive. If you stand right beside a trunk and point the camera up, the perspective will make it look like the trees are rising all the way to heaven, as they steadily disappear into the back of the frame!
The Pink Lake
Lastly, we’re going to take you to the photographer’s paradise, otherwise known as Lake Hillier. Here, you’ll find a huge lake that has a mind-boggling pink surface. Contrasted with the white sand and the nearby blue ocean of Middle Island, the pictures you’ll take here will forever make you look twice and scratch your head – even though you’re the one who took them!
This is just one of the thousands of beautiful, unique locations that Western Australia has to offer. So if you’re wondering whether CNN has got it right with their ratings, then we’ll happily answer that for you. Yes. Yes, it has!
